Final answer:
Non-azeotropic refrigerants leak from a system rapidly initially, which can slow down as the pressure inside the system decreases. The leak occurs due to the gas moving from an area of high pressure to low pressure to equalize the differentials.
Step-by-step explanation:
Non-azeotropic refrigerants, when they leak from a system, do so at a rate that is dependent upon the conditions of the leak. Considering the given options, rapidly would likely be the best fitting choice as leaks generally allow refrigerants to escape quickly due to the pressure difference involved. After a rapid initial release (option b happens quickly), the rate may slow down as the pressure decreases, which aligns with the statement that after the initial rapid phase (option b), the following occurs more slowly (option c).
This process relates to how gas moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure, meaning that as soon as there is a breach in a pressurized system, the gas will rapidly move to equalize the pressure. Additionally, the high temperature side of a system expands, compressing the low temperature side. In effect, this causes heat to move from hot to cold, leading to an expansion and gradual increase in temperature on the low temperature side over time.